Sato wasn't sure if it was simply an old habit, but he alreferred walking peacefully through and well-maintained city streets—yet, at the same time, he disliked the noise and chaos that came with them.

  After leaving Cherrygrove City, Sato headed west, making his way toward Azalea Town, before eventually reag Goldenrod's twin city—Oliviy, the most prosperous city in Johto.

  However, beh Olivine's prosperity, a rge undergrouwork thrived—people stantly testing the boundaries of legality.

  Pokémon traffig, terfeit TMs, illegal trade of held items and evolution stones—anythied to Pokémon came with high profits, tempting many to risk it all for quick money.

  Teically speaking, Sato himself beloo this gray zone.

  However, as an indepe hunter who barely sold a few Pokémon per year, as long as he didn't capture anything from a protected zohe Pokémon League wouldn't even bother dealing with him.

  Many trainers, like Sato, occasionally moonlighted as Pokémon hunters.

  And most wealthier families preferred to buy a strong, reliable starter Pokémon for their children rather than rely on luck.

  But therein y a problem—Pokémon from the bck market were often captured through brute force, leaving them with deep-seated fear and hatred toward humans.

  In trast, Pokémon caught in proper battles usually aowledged the strength of their captors, meaning they didn't develop hostility toward humans after being captured—probably because they respected strength above all else.

  With such a profitable ecosystem, it was no surprise that many struggling traiuro capturing and selling Pokémon to make ends meet.

  ---

  On the road from Cherrygrove City to Azalea Town, Sato focused on training Larvitar.

  The number of Bug-type Pokémon in the forest was overwhelming.

  Caterpie, Weedle, Pineco, and Spinarak could be seen every few steps, and many had already evolved. Occasionally, he even spotted one or two peaceful Heracross wandering about.

  Sato refrained from using Dark Energy.

  Although he could analyze a Bug-type's potential, stantly experieng the i disgust from Dark Energy's rea to them was highly unfortable.

  Besides, most of these species had low base stats. Even if they possessed Elite Four-tier potential, it was nearly impossible for them to reach that level within their short lifespans.

  Only when he entered Heracross or Pinsir would Sato bother testing their potential using Dark Energy.

  Moving at a steady pace, Sato fearlessly let Larvitar battle every Pokémon that challehem, refusing no oppos.

  As they neared Azalea Town, the density and strength of Bug-types increased, making this araining ground for a Rock-type like Larvitar.

  "Ssss!"

  A Spinarak suddenly shot out a strand of silk, aiming straight for Sato.

  However, before it could nd, a small, precisely thrown rock sliced through the thread, severing it instantly.

  "Larvitar, use a small Rock Slide!"

  "Larvi!"

  At the same time it responded, a sharp rock shot out like a bullet, striking Spinarak directly and taking it down i!

  "Ssss! Ssssss~"

  In an instant, a swarm of Spinarak emerged from the surrounding foliage, encirg Sato and Larvitar, their pincers clig menagly.

  At the ter of the group, a single Ariados stood out as the undisputed leader.

  It was clear—the Spinarak had been lying in wait, setting up a premeditated ambush.

  Larvitar instinctively stepped closer to Sato, but almost immediately, it caught itself—as if realizing that such a rea was unworthy of a future pseudo-legendary.

  How could a Larvitar fear a bunch of is?

  "Stay calm. Take down the leader first! Larvitar, Rock Slide!"

  "Larvi!"

  Larvitar immediately uood the strategy, unleashing its modified Rock Slide in an instant.

  Rather than targeting a single oppo, rocks scattered in chaotic patterns, creating a sense of overwhelming force.

  As expected, the Spinarak panicked and scattered in every dire to dodge the attack.

  Unfortunately for them, this Rock Slide wasn't random.

  Among the flying debris, one rer, heavier, and moving faster thahers—smmed directly into Ariados's abdomen!

  "Ssssss!"

  Ariados rolled across the ground in pain, kig up clouds of dust—a siack had nearly incapacitated it!

  "Again! Strong Rock Slide!"

  "Larvi!"

  The Rock Slide activated again—but this time, instead of scattering, the stones densed into a single massive boulder!

  With the momentum of an unstoppable force, it came crashing down onto Ariados and the Spinarak that had failed to escape in time!

  Sato's eyes gleamed—in his previous life, Larvitar had taken far loo master this move.

  Its growth rate was clearly accelerating.

  "That's it. Oep at a time—catch up to your past self first."

  Giving the exhausted Larvitar a high-grade Pokéblock, Sato led it deeper into Ariados's .

  Ariados were known for being ing predators, using poisonous webs to trap and slowly e prey that wandered into their territory.

  Their threat level in the wild was not to be uimated.

  And if luck was on his side, there might be something valuable hidden in their .

  Ihe sprawling burrow, several young Spinarak huddled trembling in the er.

  Sato eled his Dark Energy, sing them briefly—but none of them possessed notable potential, so he lost i.

  After turning one more er, he reached what was clearly the egg incubation chamber.

  The walls of the were lined with silken threads, f a rge co-like structure.

  Scattered across the webbed floor were numerous eggs, varying in shades of green and purple, all pced without any disible order.

  A strange sense of disfort rose from Sato's Dark Energy, sending an odd shiver through him.

  His eyes fshed with reition—this could only meahing.

  Stepping closer, he carefully searched through the pile—then, his fingers brushed against something unusual.

  "This energy signature… this one has Pseudo-Elite Four potential. Not bad."

  Sato lifted a seemingly unremarkable egg from the , feeling the wave of disgust from his Dark Energy intensify.

  Silently, he withdrew his energy—if he wasn't careful, he might damage the egg.

  That would be a plete waste.

  With utmost caution, he secured the egg inside his backpack.

  After a final sweep of the area and finding nothing else of value, he decided that this egg alone was more than enough.

  Leaving the Ariados , Sato ighe injured Ariados that had barely escaped from uhe boulder.

  It still watched him from a distance, but made no move to attack.

  With a calm demeanor, Sato walked away.

  "Larvitar!"

  The effects of the high-grade Pokéblock were kig in.

  Though mentally drained, Larvitar still repyed the moment in its head—its first successful mastery of such a powerful Rock Slide.

  As Sato moved forward, Larvitar instinctively followed along—only to suddenly straighten up, adopting its usual posed and serious posture.

  Its exhaustion was irrelevant—a pseudo-legendary's dignity came first.

  "Do you o rest?"

  "Larvitaaar!"

  Larvitar shook its head firmly. It could feel the progress it had made in battle.

  As the test addition to the team, it had to catch up quickly.

  "Alright, then. Larvitar, Screech!"

  "Larvi!"

  Though momentarily fused by the sudden order, Larvitar instinctively unleashed an ear-pierg cry.